The Doomsday Machine (episode)
The Enterprise discovers a superweapon capable of destroying entire planets, and a Commodore whose crew was killed by the machine jeopardizes the crew on a crazed mission of revenge. Summary Teaser The receives a faint and garbled distress signal. It is apparently a starship's disaster beacon, but they are unable to make out any words aside from 'Constellation'. The Enterprise enters system L-370 and finds that all seven planets in the system have been destroyed, smashed to rubble. Proceeding to system L-374, they find the same thing, debris where there were healthy planets the previous year. All of the systems in the sector have been destroyed, except for two of the planets in L-374. In L-374, the Enterprise also finds her sister ship, the , commanded by Matt Decker, now a powerless wreck, drifting and abandoned. There being no natural cause for the planetary destruction and the condition of the Constellation, Captain James T. Kirk assumes that they were attacked and orders the Enterprise to red alert. Act I Sensor scans show the Constellation to be running with minimal life support using its reserve energy banks. All of its power plants are dead, and the bridge is uninhabitable. Subspace interference is preventing further sensor readings, as well as any communications beyond the distress signal. There are no other ships detected in the area, however, and Kirk orders the ship's status dropped to yellow alert. Captain Kirk then orders Dr. McCoy, Mr. Scott, and a damage control party to the transporter room. He intends to board the Constellation, and leaves Spock in command of the Enterprise. The landing party beams aboard the Constellation and begins investigating. Mr. Scott and his team examine the engine room and find the warp engines totally destroyed and the phaser banks exhausted. The crew of the Constellation has clearly fought a pitched battle and lost. The ship is currently running on emergency backup power, but Scott thinks that the impulse engines might be salvagable. Kirk and McCoy, examining the rest of the ship, find no signs of the crew and no bodies. Wondering if the crew might have beamed down to one of the remaining planets, Spock (on the Enterprise) informs Kirk that the planets could not possibly sustain human life. When Scott, after giving his report on the condition of the engines to Kirk, suggests that they might play back the tapes of the captain's log, they proceed to the auxiliary control room. There, Kirk finds Commodore Matthew Decker, the sole survivor aboard, in a fugue state. McCoy gives him an injection and he starts to come around, eventually recognizing Kirk. As he begins to recover, Scott plays back Decker's log: :"Captain's log, stardate 4202.1. Exceptionally heavy subspace interference still prevents our contacting Starfleet to inform them of the destroyed solar systems we have encountered. We are now entering system L-374. Science Officer Masada reports the fourth planet seems to be breaking up. We are going to investigate." Decker, still in shock and barely lucid, begins to remember what happened as he hears his log played back. Kirk orders the Constellation sensor tapes beamed back to the Enterprise for analysis. Decker describes how his ship was attacked and disabled and, unable to contact Starfleet due to subspace interference, he beamed his crew down to the third planet. As the Captain, he was the last man aboard when the ship was attacked again. The transporters were disabled, and he was stranded. Prompted by Kirk for a description of the attacker, Decker becomes increasingly distraught as he describes something "right out of hell" that destroyed his ship. Telling of how his crew begged for rescue as he sat helpless on the ship, he collapses in grief. Washburn reports that the ship's antimatter was somehow deactivated, and Kirk asks Scott if a "general energy dampening field" could be responsible for that, as well as the subspace interference. Scott agrees that it's possible, but doesn't know of anything that could generate such a field. Decker, recovering somewhat, begins describing the planet killer in more detail. "Miles long, with a maw that could swallow a dozen starships," Decker explains that the planet killer uses a pure antiproton beam to carve up planets into rubble. He couldn't tell if it was a ship or a living organism. Spock reports in from the Enterprise. From the sensor tapes, he has determined that the planet killer is an automated weapon designed to smash planets and digest the debris for fuel. As long as there are planets to consume, the device is self-sustaining. Spock and Sulu have used the locations of the ravaged star systems they encountered to calculate that the planet killer came from outside the galaxy, and that its projected path will take it through the most densely populated section of our galaxy. Speaking with McCoy, Kirk postulates that the planet killer is a "doomsday weapon," a bluff created by an unknown maker, which was never meant to be used. This one is roaming the galaxies, consuming for fuel everything in its path, including whole planets. Its alien makers are presumably long since dead. This becomes the operational theory for the rest of the episode, though the Enterprise never finds any evidence that confirms or denies it. McCoy is still concerned about Decker's condition, and wants to get him to the Enterprise sick bay. Decker, slipping back and forth between his authoritarian Captain's persona and that of a grief-stricken trauma victim, at first refuses to leave his ship, but is convinced when Kirk offers to take the Constellation in tow. McCoy and Decker beam back to the Enterprise while Kirk and Scott remain on board the Constellation to rig her for towing. When McCoy and Decker materialize in the Enterprise transporter room, the red alert klaxons are sounding, and they both rush to the bridge. The planet killer has returned, and they find Spock in the command chair, reporting to Kirk on the Constellation as the planet killer turns to pursue the Enterprise. Act II Facing them with its gaping maw, the planet killer turns to pursue the ''Enterprise as Spock analyzes his sensor readings and concludes that they have little chance of deactivating the device without drawing an attack upon themselves. Kirk orders the landing party beamed back to the Enterprise, but the planet killer attacks the Enterprise before Mr. Kyle in the transporter room can do so. The transporters are damaged, as are communications, causing the Enterprise to lose contact with Kirk, now stranded aboard the Constellation with no viewscreen and no maneuvering ability. Kirk orders Scotty to try to repair the impulse drive, while he and Washburn work on the viewscreen. After the initial attack by the planet killer, the Enterprise evades and outruns it. Dr. McCoy reports no casualties, and Decker, already assuming an attitude of command, orders a status report. Warp and impulse engines are undamaged, transporters and communications are under repair. Now some distance away, the planet killer stops pursuing the Enterprise, veers off, and heads for the densely-inhabited Rigel system. Spock states his intention to keep his distance from the planet killer, circle around to pick up the landing party, and then evade the device's subspace interference, so that they can warn Starfleet Command of the danger. Decker objects, stating that their primary duty is to protect Federation citizens, and that they must attack the planet killer immediately. He orders a 180 degree turn. Spock dispassionately ignores Decker's arguments and instructs Sulu to carry out his order. Decker at this point asserts his rank as a Starfleet Commodore and assumes command of the Enterprise (under General Order 104, Section B, Paragraph 1a) despite the precise and logical objections of Mr. Spock and the more hysterical ones of Dr. McCoy. Spock points out that Decker's previous attempt to attack the planet killer resulted in the loss of his ship and his crew. Momentarily losing his attitude of command authority, Decker admits his previous mistake and asserts that this time he will get much closer to the planet killer and attack it with full phasers. Spock protests that the device's hull is made of neutronium and is therefore impermeable to attack from a single ship. Decker ends the argument by ordering Spock to surrender command or be relieved of duty. Confronted with an official order from a superior officer, Spock has no choice but to let Decker assume command. McCoy, looking for a loophole in the regulations, offers to declare Decker medically unfit (under what Spock describes as Section C of General Order 104), but having had no time to perform a complete examination, his declaration would carry no weight. Decker's mask of authority again slips momentarily when he thinks McCoy might have a case for relieving him, but Spock's adherence to the spirit of the regulations makes his argument for him. Decker orders McCoy off the bridge (in a particularly snarky manner) and gives orders to set course for the planet killer and prepare for battle. The bridge crew looks on worriedly, but Sulu has no choice but to carry out his orders. As the Enterprise reverses course and approaches the planet killer again, Commodore Decker sits comfortably in the Captain's chair, in full command mode. However, he still looks a wreck: unshaven, bedraggled, and wild-eyed. Spock, instead of returning to his science station, stands at attention by the Captain's chair. On the Constellation, Kirk and Scotty are proceeding with repairs, oblivious to what's going on outside. Scott will have to use the warp control circuits to control the impulse engines, which will make the ship difficult for one man to handle. The Enterprise closes in on the planet killer, pushing its deflector shields to the limit. The planet killer fires, weakening the shields further. Spock recommends retreating, but Decker, asserting his command status, takes the ship still closer. On the Constellation, Kirk and Washburn have repaired the viewscreen, and the first image that appears is the Enterprise, approaching dangerously close to the planet killer. The Enterprise fires its phasers and scores direct hits on the planet killer, to no apparent effect. Spock urgently recommends withdrawal, but Decker "notes" his recomendation and ignores it, ordering more phaser fire. Kirk desperately tries to contact the Enterprise, and when he cannot, orders Scotty to get the impulse drive up and running as quickly as possible. The planet killer fires on the Enterprise again, disabling its shields and its power energizers. Lt. Palmer, the Comm Officer, also reports severe casualties on decks 3 and 4. The planet killer stops firing and begins pulling the Enterprise inside itself using a tractor beam, presumably to "digest" it as fuel. Spock says that they must veer off, and when Decker tries to continue the attack, he informs him that with warp power out, they must break away from the tractor beam within sixty seconds, or they never will. Decker, his irrational obsession now apparent, insists on trying to destroy the planet killer, but Spock warns him that if he does not order a withdrawal, he will relieve Decker of command using evidence of attempted suicide as proof of Decker's instability. Decker gives in, looking far less confident than he was just a few minutes ago, and orders Sulu to veer off, but it is too late; the planet killer has the Enterprise in its tractor beam, and continues pulling her inside. Act III On the Constellation, Scotty has managed to repair the impulse engines, providing basic maneuverability. Running from console to console, Kirk starts the ship limping towards the Enterprise and the planet killer. On the Enterprise, Decker orders full power astern, but they still cannot break free from the tractor beam. Captain Kirk's plan is to attract the planet killer's attention by moving towards it, while the Enterprise remains stationary. He wishes aloud for phasers, and Scotty tells him that he has one bank recharged. Kirk, delighted with his engineer, fires at the planet killer, causing it to immediately release the Enterprise from its tractor beam and come about to pursue the Constellation. With the planet killer rapidly approaching the Constellation, however, Kirk's plan suddenly does not seem like such a great idea. He orders Scotty to retreat, and Decker, now excited at the prospect of having two ships to attack the monster, fires phasers again and orders the Enterprise to clear the area. The planet killer does not pursue them, and Spock opines that the device has a set defensive sphere; it attacks anything encroaching the sphere. The Enterprise's warp drive and deflector shields will be out for a solar day, while repairs are proceeding on the transporters and communications. The planet killer starts moving towards the Enterprise again, and Decker orders Sulu to maintain their speed and distance. The planet killer pauses to ingest rubble from the destroyed planets, and Spock notes that by refueling itself this way, the device can maintain its pursuit indefinitely, while the Enterprise, at its current speed, will exhaust its fuel in seven hours. Decker takes this to mean that they should attack now, but Spock once again points out the illogic of Decker's actions. He repeats his initial plan, insisting that they must pick up Kirk and the landing party and then get clear of the subspace interference so they can warn Starfleet about the planet killer. Before Decker can object, Lt. Palmer reports that ship-to-ship communications have been restored. Kirk hails the Enterprise and Decker, back in command mode, insists on speaking for the ship. Kirk, expecting Spock, is surprised to hear Decker's voice. When he finds out that Decker has assumed command because Spock refused to attack the planet killer. Kirk, angry and insubordinate, calls Decker a "lunatic" and demands that he get the Enterprise out of the area. Decker, his mask again slipping a bit, allows Spock to give Kirk a status report. Kirk orders Sulu to take evasive action, and when Decker again tries to assert his command authority, Kirk orders Spock to relieve him, on his "personal authority as Captain of the Enterprise." Spock tells Decker that he is relieved, and even though Decker does not recognize his authority to do so, he sees that Spock will have him arrested if necessary, and that the crew will not back him up, and so he surrenders command. Spock takes the Captain's chair and resumes command, to the evident relief of Mr. Sulu. Spock then orders Mr. Montgomery, a security officer, to escort Decker to sick bay for a medical examination, and Decker leaves the bridge. Spock orders an evasive course back to the Constellation. However, on the way to sick bay, Decker overpowers Montgomery, knocks him unconscious, and sneaks down to the hanger deck. On the Constellation, Scotty reports to Captain Kirk that they now have ship's communications, one-third impulse power, and minimal deflector shields. Kirk plots a course and plans his rendezvous with the Enterprise. On the Enterprise, a unauthorized shuttlecraft launches before Sulu can stop it. It is, of course, Commodore Decker, who replies to Lt. Palmer's hail with the exhausted calm of finality. He describes his plan to pilot the shuttlecraft directly at the planet killer, sending it and himself "right down it's throat." More a suicide than a serious attack, Decker speaks of his responsibility for his crew and how he has been ready to die ever since their deaths. All of Matt Decker's masks are gone now, and as Kirk tries to talk him down and Spock preaches logic, he stares at the gaping maw of the planet killer. Closing the comm channel, Decker watches with increasing horror and panic as he approaches death, and it consumes him. With a sorrowful expression, Kirk closes his communicator and Spock, looking as emotional as he ever gets, says "He's gone." Act IV Mr. Spock hails Captain Kirk on the Constellation and offers his condolences on Commodore Decker's death. Kirk's biggest regret is that Decker died for nothing. However, Sulu reports that the ship's sensors detected a slight drop in the planet killer's power emanations, and wonders if it could be a result of the shuttlecraft explosion. Lt. Palmer reports that the transporter is now operational, and Spock asks Kirk if he should beam them aboard. Kirk orders Spock to beam the damage control party to the Enterprise, but he and Mr. Scott will remain behind. Captain Kirk has the idea that Decker's method was viable; he just didn't have enough power in the shuttlecraft to be effective against the planet killer. Kirk asks Spock if the 97.835 megaton fusion explosion that would result from an overload of the impulse engines on the Constellation would be enough the destroy the planet killer. Spock reminds Kirk of the device's neutronium hull, which no known force can penetrate. Kirk's plan, however, is not to penetrate the hull, but to trigger the explosion while the Constellation is inside the planet killer. He orders Scotty to rig a thirty-second delay trigger for the impulse engine overload, which Kirk can set off on the bridge. Spock reports that he can't tell if the explosion would be sufficient to destroy the planet killer, and warns Kirk that he is getting dangerously close to the device. Echoing Decker, Kirk says that he plans to take the Constellation even closer and "ram her right down that thing's throat," only beaming back to the Enterprise at the last minute. Both Spock and Scott warn Kirk that the transporter is not operating at 100% efficiency, and that thirty seconds is cutting the margin of safety rather close. Kirk is determined to proceed, however. Scotty demonstrates the operation of the delay trigger to Kirk and beams back to the Enterprise. He makes it back safely, but the transporter malfunctions and needs repair before they can transport Kirk. The power levels on the Constellation are dropping, however, and the ship is rapidly approaching the planet killer, so time is of the essence. Scott climbs into a Jefferies tube to effect repairs. The transporter is soon operational again, but only just barely. Scott doesn't expect his jury-rigging to last for long. When the Constellation is less than 500 miles from the planet killer, Kirk activates the time delay trigger and requests beamout. Unfortunately, the transporter shorts out again, and Kirk is trapped on the Constellation with no way to stop the impulse engine overload that is imminent. Scotty returns to the Jefferies tube and, with Spock's repeated urging to hurry, completes repairs just in time for Mr. Kyle to beam Captain Kirk out before the explosion. Kirk hurries to the bridge, arriving there to find everyone demonstrably relieved, for the planet killer is quite dead. Kirk orders a power-conserving course and the continuation of repairs. Kirk and Spock lament the death of Matt Decker, with Kirk assuring Spock that his log will say that Decker died in the line of duty. Kirk points out the irony that they ended up using a form of H-bomb, the doomsday machine of the 20th century, to destroy this 23rd century doomsday machine. Spock wonders if there might not be other devices like it wandering around the universe. Kirk sincerely hopes not, as he found one to be "quite sufficient." Memorable Quotes "I checked the engines. The warp drive, that's a hopeless pile of junk." : - Scott "We tried to contact Starfleet... no one heard – ''no one! W-we couldn't run!" "''Matt, what happened to your crew?" "Oh, well, I had to beam them down. I mean, we were dead – no power, our phasers useless. I stayed behind. The Captain... last man aboard the ship; that's what you're supposed to do isn't it? And then it hit again, and the transporter went out. They were down there, I'm up here..." "What hit? What attacked you?" "They say there's no devil, Jim... but there is – right out of ''hell, I saw it!" "''Matt, where's your crew?" "On the third planet." "There ''is no third planet." (sobbing) "Don't you think I know that? ''There ''was, but not anymore! They called me, they begged me for help – four hundred of them! I couldn't... I-I couldn't..." : - '''Decker' and Kirk "This whole thing's incredible; a machine, a device like that – who would build it?" "We don't know; an alien race, possibly from another galaxy." "But ''why?" "''Bones... did you ever hear of the ''doomsday machine?" "''No; I'm a doctor, not a mechanic." "It's a weapon, built primarily as a bluff; it was never meant to be used. So strong it could destroy ''both sides in a war... something like the old H-bombs were supposed to be. That's what I think this is – a doomsday machine that someone used in a war uncounted centuries ago. They don't exist anymore, but the machine is still destroying." : - '''McCoy' and Kirk "Mr. Spock... I am officially notifying you that I am exercising my option under regulations as a Starfleet Commodore, and assuming command of the ''Enterprise." "You have the right to do so, sir – but I would advise against it." "That thing must be destroyed!" "You tried to destroy it once before, Commodore. The result was a wrecked ship... and a dead crew." "I made a mistake then; we were too far away. This time, I'm going to hit it with full phasers at point-blank range." "Sensors show the object's hull is solid neutronium; a single ship cannot combat it." (slaps the conn) "Mr. Spock, that will be ''all. You have been relieved of command – don't force me to relieve you of duty, as well." : - '''Decker' and Spock "You can't let him do this!" "Doctor, you are out of line." "So are you... ''sir! (to Spock) Well, Spock?" "''Unfortunately, Starfleet General Order 104, Section B, leaves me no choice; Paragraph 1A clearly states—" (rolling his eyes) "To ''blazes with regulations! You can't let him take command when you know he's wrong!" "''If you can certify Commodore Decker as unfit for command, I can relieve him under Section C." (slaps the conn) "I'll certify that right ''now!" "You will also be asked to pull your medical records to prove it." (pause) "Now, you ''know I haven't had time to perform an examination on him." "''Then your statement would not be considered valid." "You may leave the bridge, doctor." "What about the captain? We can't just–" "Doctor, you may leave the bridge." "Spock? Do ''something!" "''Mr. Spock knows his duty under regulations, Doctor... do ''you?" : - '''McCoy', Decker and Spock "Captain, the impulse drive control circuits are fused solid." "What about the warp drive controls?" "Aye, we can cross-connect the controls, but it'd make the ship almost impossible for one man to handle." "You worry about your miracles, Scotty; I'll worry about mine. Get to work." : - Scott and Kirk "Scotty, where's that power?" "Coming, sir. If I push these impulse engines too hard in their condition, they'll blow apart." : - Kirk and Scott "Random chance seems to have operated in our favor." "In plain, non-Vulcan English, we've been lucky." "I believe I said that, doctor." : - Spock and McCoy "We're moving, and the ''Enterprise isn't. Maybe that thing will see us, and let the Enterprise go. If I only had some phasers..." "''Phasers? You got 'em – I have one bank recharged." "Scotty! You just earned your pay for the week – stand by." : - Kirk and Scotty "Upon finding your first officer reluctant to take aggressive action–" "You mean ''you're the lunatic who's responsible for almost destroying my ship?..." "''I told you, I am in command and I will give the orders, ''captain; we are going to turn and attack." "''Not with ''my ship, you don't! Mr. Spock, you are to relieve Commodore Decker immediately – that's a direct order!" "''You can't relieve me, and you know it! According to regulations–" "Blast regulations! Mr. Spock – I order you to take command on my personal authority as captain of the ''Enterprise." : - Decker and Kirk "Commodore Decker – you are relieved of command." "I don't recognize your authority to relieve me." "You may file a formal protest with Starfleet, assuming we survive to reach a Starbase; but you are relieved... Commodore, I do not wish to place you under arrest." "You wouldn't ''dare... (Spock motions for security) You're bluffing." "''Vulcans never bluff." (long pause)"No... no, I don't suppose that they do. Very well, Mr. Spock; the bridge is ''yours." : - Spock and Decker (The "Vulcans never bluff" dialog has been deleted in syndicated versions of this episode) "You said it yourself, Spock; there is no way to blast through the hull of that machine, so... I'm going to take this thing right down its throat." "This is Kirk – Matt, you'll be killed!" "I've been prepared for death ever since I... ever since I killed my crew." "No one expects you to die for an error in judgment." "A commander is responsible for the lives of his crew, and for their deaths. Well, I should have died with mine." "You cannot succeed, Commodore; your only logical alternative is to return to the ship." "Matt, listen to me – you can't throw your life away like this. Matt, you're a starship commander; that makes you a valuable commodity. We need you, your experience, your judgment. Matt – (Decker switches off) we're stronger ''with you than without you!" : - '''Decker', Kirk and Spock "Sir – may I offer my condolences on the death of your friend; it is most... regrettable." "It's regrettable that he died for nothing." : - Spock and Kirk "Captain, you're getting dangerously close to the planet killer." "I intend to get a lot closer – I'm going to ram her right down that thing's throat!" "Jim ... you'll be killed; just like Decker." "No, Spock, I don't intend to die. We're rigging a delayed detonation device; you'll have thirty seconds to beam me back to the ship." "Your chances of survival are not promising. We don't even know if the explosion will be powerful enough to destroy it." "A calculated risk, Mr. Spock." "There is one other factor to consider. The transporter is not operating at 100 percent efficiency; thirty seconds is ''very slim timing." "''A chance I'll have to take." : - Spock and Kirk "A cranky transporter's a mighty finicky piece of machinery to be gambling your life on, sir." : - Scott "Gentlemen, I suggest you beam me aboard." : - Kirk, as the overload countdown ticks away Background Information Cast * Norman Spinrad has expressed disappointment that the actor whom he envisioned playing Decker, Robert Ryan, was not cast. Ryan was unavailable due to other commitments. http://trekmovie.com/2007/02/10/spinrad-videoblog-on-history-of-doomsday * In an interview with William Windom, he joked that Marc Daniels, the director, didn't know what to do with the scene of Decker describing what had happened to the Constellation, so he told Windom just to "improvise", during which time the director simply left the camera running and walked out to work on something else. Windom actually made a totally improvised, ten-minute speech, and in the end, they only used about a minute and a half of it. He was referring to the laid-back style of directing used. * The three crewmen who beam over to the Constellation with Kirk, McCoy and Scott were named after three of the series' assistant directors. Washburn's namesake was Charles Washburn; Russ's was Rusty Meek, and Elliot's was Elliot Schick. * A blooper from this episode features Leonard Nimoy saying, "If you do not veer off, I shall... blow my brains out!" * Nichelle Nichols (Uhura) does not appear in this episode. Uhura's duties were assumed by Lt. Palmer, played by Elizabeth Rogers. Sets and props * This episode marks the debut of the re-designed engineering set. The dilithium crystal storage units now occupy the center of the floor (complete with recycled Horta eggs); a ladder and upper level have been added into what was just a high bank of lighted panels in the first season. The set also is entered through a short spur hallway now, rather than as a side door off a main corridor. The console across from the forced-perspective impulse engine end of the set has been replaced by a doorway and moved to the main wall to the left of the red grid. The huge structures among which Kirk's evil self and Ben Finney once hid are not seen in detail again, but the emergency manual monitor set was built on stilts on that spot, making its debut in . * The engine components appear and disappear as scenes dictated: they show up in and but are absent completely in . ]] * The trident scanner Scott pulls out of the new storage area near the doorway to engineering is the same prop Spock uses in as he works on the shuttlecraft, and which Ensign Harper uses to plug in the M-5 in . It is identified in The Making of Star Trek as a "Ray Generator and Energy Neutralizer (Spock-Built)." * The modified Nuclear-Chicago Model 2586 Radiation Survey Meter is again used by a member of the landing party as a sensor device. * The auxiliary control room is first seen in this episode aboard the Constellation. Its large viewing screen was previously used in the briefing room in , , and , and on the bridge set used in . * There are usually two full stations between Spock's library computer station, and the half station adjacent to the viewing screen. Yet, as Kirk and Spock walk by that area, only one station can be seen. * The picture of the star field on the bulkhead of the transporter room makes its last appearance in this episode. Story and production * Moby Dick was one of Norman Spinrad's inspirations for the original story of this episode. http://trekmovie.com/2007/02/10/spinrad-videoblog-on-history-of-doomsday * William Windom has said at conventions that he had his character compulsively fiddle with cassette cartridges as an homage to , whose Captain Queeg did the same thing with ball-bearings in . * This is the first time the Enterprise has encountered another starship with the entire crew dead. This later occurs in and . * Footage of Scotty being tossed around engineering is stock footage from . A console that appears only in that episode can be seen. Scotty wears a tricorder throughout this episode. But when the old footage of him being thrown against the grating in is spliced in, the tricorder vanishes. * Kirk's second season green wraparound tunic debuts in this episode and will appear intermittently throughout the season. Although edged with gold, its collar lacks the black trim it will eventually have in such later second season episodes as and . The main difference between the first and second season green tunics is the absence of the rank braids on the shoulders, which were seen only in the first season, as well as the use of the command insignia as a fastening device. This version of the tunic sports the standard braids on the sleeves. Kirk never wore the green tunic in the third season. * In most of the earlier drafts of the screenplay, Decker did not sacrifice himself, but instead survived to admit his mistakes and voluntarily retire. The core of this scene was later recycled into the ending of , where Commodore Stocker admits to Kirk that his taking command of the Enterprise was in the wrong. Effects * The year this episode was filmed, AMT produced the first Enterprise model kits. One such kit was used to make the model used for the destroyed Constellation. The decals for the ship's registration numbers are just a rearranged version of "1701." The model does not have the details of the regular Enterprise miniatures. * Norman Spinrad was displeased with the model used for the planet killer. As he told Allan Asherman in The Star Trek Interview Book, he envisioned a doomsday machine bristling with all sorts of evil-looking weapons. * Sol Kaplan's suspenseful "countdown" music, written for this episode, was re-used in many Second Season episodes. * In many of its profile shots, the planet killer is semi-transparent and stars show through it. This was an overlay of film footage of the doomsday machine model over an existing star field. This money-saving technique also was used in when Trelane's planet blocks the Enterprise's path. Significance and legacy * This episode was nominated for a Hugo Award in as "Best Dramatic Presentation". * The episode is constantly ranked in the top five of any "top ten" polls taken among fans with regards to their favorite Star Trek episodes. *James Doohan in a mid-1980s appearance at UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) responded to the question from a audience member "what was your favorite episode of Star Trek", his response was "The Doomsday Machine" (there were a few groans from the audience at his response). * This episode has five alumni from : Shatner, Nimoy, Doohan, Takei, and Windom. Apocrypha *In Gene Roddenberry's novelization of , Will Decker is identified as Matt Decker's son: :"It hasn't been easy for him to live down the old man's legacy. Apparently, losing a Federation starship is still frowned on, whether it is the captain's fault or not." *Susan Sackett's book, The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, contains character background information (originally written for the aborted TV series Star Trek: Phase II) in which Will Decker is identified as Matt Decker's son. * In James Blish's adaptation, Decker's first name is "Brand" and he doesn't pilot the shuttlecraft into the planet-killer. In addition, after being ordered off the bridge by Decker with "Mr. Spock knows his duties under regulations, doctor... do ''you?" Blish gives McCoy one final retort: "''Yes, sir – go to sickbay and wait for the casualties you're about to send me." * According to the game Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, there is a school of thought that speculates that the galactic barrier around the perimeter of the galaxy was created to keep these planet killers out. * Peter David's TNG novel Vendetta connects the planet killers with the Preservers, an ancient race first mentioned in , who have fought the Borg as well as created the galactic barrier. This method of attack used against the Borg would be consistent with that seen used by Species 8472 in Star Trek: Voyager. Also, David's description of the new planet killer's look matches Norman Spinrad's original conception. * The doomsday machine appears in Amarillo Design Bureau Inc.'s Star Fleet Battles first monster-based scenario (SM1.0) as "The Planet Crusher" (or "The Creature that ate Sheboygan III"). It was a basic monster scenario enabling a beginning player to learn how to fight his starship. The monster moved by automatic rules, allowing for one person to play the scenario. * Keith R.A. DeCandido showed an earlier meeting between Kirk and Decker in The Brave and the Bold, Book One, which included the rest of the crew of the ''Constellation, including Masada (given the first name Guillermo), the only crew member named in the episode besides Decker. That same crew was used by David Mack in Vanguard Book 1: Harbinger, and Mirror Universe versions were seen in Mack's The Sorrows of Empire. Remastered Information "The Doomsday Machine" was the twentieth episode of The Original Series to be remastered, premiering in syndication the weekend of . It was one of the most heavily-enhanced episodes of the remastered series produced. There were 105 effects shots in the remastered version, in contrast to the twenty or thirty in an average episode. http://trekmovie.com/2006/11/20/behind-the-scenes-at-cbs-digital/ The Constellation received far more detailed damage than was previously possible, gnarled warp coils visible in certain shots. The planet killer received a major update, as did its antiproton beam. The shots of the shuttlecraft leaving the bay with Commodore Decker aboard were completely re-done. Decker lifts the shuttlecraft off the deck before the bay doors are fully open, and there is a new shot of the craft (renumbered "6") from the exterior of the Enterprise. The discrepancy in relative sizes between the planet killer, the two starships and the shuttlecraft from the original version has been adjusted. The staff of CBS Digital (creators of the remastered effects) played a prank on Senior FX Supervisor Niel Wray by creating a fake version of the Remastered episode trailer (with a shot of the Constellation relabeled as "Consolation") and a fake version of TrekMovie.com (http://www.trekmovie.com) populated by fake comments (attributed to real users of the site) on the "mistake." The results of the prank can be seen here. Image:USS Constellation.jpg|The original Constellation... Image:USS Constellation remastered.jpg|...and its remastered counterpart. Image:USS Enterprise takes the USS Constellation in tow.jpg|The Enterprise takes the Constellation in tow... Image:USS Enterprise takes the USS Constellation in tow, remastered.jpg|...and the remastered counterpart. Image:Planet killer.jpg|The original planet killer... Image:Planet killer, remastered.jpg|...and its remastered counterpart. Image:Planet killer fires antiproton beam.jpg|The original antiproton beam... Image:Planet killer fires antiproton beam, remastered.jpg|...and the remastered beam. Image:USS Enterprise takes on the planet killer.jpg|The generic effects of the Enterprise taking on the planet killer... Image:USS Enterprise takes on the planet killer, remastered.jpg|...and the remastered attack. Image:USS Constellation approaches planet killer.jpg|The original defeat of the planet killer... Image:USS Constellation approaches planet killer, remastered.jpg|...and the remastered version. :The next remastered episode to air was . Production timeline * Story outline by Norman Spinrad, * Revised teleplay, * Final draft teleplay, * Filmed in late * Premiere airdate, * Remastered episode airdate, Video and DVD releases * Original US Betamax release: * UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 19, catalog number VHR 2352, release date unknown * US VHS release: * UK re-release (three-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 2.2, * As part of the UK VHS collection Star Trek - Greatest Battles: * Original US DVD release (single-disc): Volume 18, * As part of the TOS Season 2 DVD collection * Links and references Starring * William Shatner as Capt. Kirk Also starring * Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock :And * DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy Guest star * William Windom as Commodore Decker Featuring * James Doohan as Scott * George Takei as Sulu * Elizabeth Rogers as Lt. Palmer With * John Winston as Lt. Kyle * Richard Compton as Washburn * John Copage as Elliot * Tim Burns as Russ * Jerry Catron as Montgomery Uncredited co-stars * William Blackburn as Hadley * Roger Holloway as Roger Lemli * Jeannie Malone as a yeoman * Eddie Paskey as Leslie Stunts * Vince Deadrick as William Windom's stunt double References antimatter; antiproton; antiproton beam; atmospheric pressure; auxiliary control; asteroid; class F shuttlecraft; coffee; communication system; computer system; ''Constellation'', USS; ; control circuit; damage control; dampening field; deflector; delay detonation device; devil; disaster beacon; distress call; doomsday machine; Einstein; emergency condition 3; English language; evasive action; filtration systems; force beam; fusion explosion; generator; H-Bomb; Hell; impulse control system; inverse phasing; L-374 I; L-374 II; L-374 III; L-374 IV; lead; life support system; main energizer; Masada; mechanic; megaton; microtape; mile; neutronium; nova; phaser bank; planet killer; pounds per square inch; power cell; power plant; program-defensive sphere; radiation; reserve energy bank; Rigel colony; Rigel system; shuttlecraft bay; solar day; starbase; Starfleet Command; Starfleet Regulations; star chart; starship; subspace interference; subspace transmitter; suicide; System L-370; System L-374; total conversion drive; tractor beam; trident scanner; viewing screen; warp drive pod; yellow alert External link * |next= |lastair= |nextair= |lastair_remastered= |nextair_remastered= }} de:Planeten-Killer (Episode) es:The Doomsday Machine fr:The Doomsday Machine nl:The Doomsday Machine Doomsday Machine, The